Minister Lecce Welcomes German Education Committee

Statement

Minister Lecce Welcomes German Education Committee

TORONTO — Today, the Honourable Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, hosted Peer Knöfler and his colleagues from the German Education Committee of the State Parliament of Schleswig-Holstein, and issued the following statement:

"My number one priority is to ensure students have the tools and skills they need to access good-paying jobs of the future. It is critical that we look at new ways to empower the next generation and challenge them to reach higher, amid a stubbornly high youth unemployment rate and skilled trade shortages.

That is why I was pleased to have met with Peer Knöfler and his colleagues to take a closer review of Germany's successful apprenticeship model that facilitates a strong level of youth employment. It is critical that we learn from the experiences of other jurisdictions in order to continue building a skills-focused education system that opens the door to high-quality opportunities and good-paying jobs for Ontario youth.

I am committed to deepening our relationship with our German counterparts - and all education partners - to ensure our students are able to succeed and prosper in a competitive global marketplace."